mklotz70 project MEND

[watsonius]

Yeah- what's in that stuff? We could probably use some of it around the house.

I remember sustaining some real damage to one of the headlights driving from Pullman WA to the Sawtooth Range in Idaho and back (summer of 1985?)

Very spectacular, lots of washboarded gravel road driving. My friend who is much taller than I kept bumping his head on the ceiling of the cab when we went over big bumps.

I replaced the lamp but never got it to sit properly in the 'socket'. Probably let in a lot more moisture etc as a result. I don't they were aligned right either.

[mklotz70]

Phleb.....if Paula makes you pancakes....I'll make sure you get THAT molasses on them!!! :)

 

Brian...here's a couple of links. I google of molasses rust removal comes up with a lot of info. If I remember right, it's about a 9 or 11 to one mix of water to molasses. It ferments, creates acetic acid. Only eats the rust....will not eat the good metal. It's not the fastest method by any means, but it's certainly one of the cheapest and safest!!! You can setup buckets/tubs of this stuff in the backyard and not worry about it killing the pets or kids....or the lawn...the lawn loves it :) Anyway.....

 

http://www.nwde.org/extras/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5152

 

http://www.oldmarineengine.com/discus/messages/1/345.html

[Phlebmaster]

Phleb.....if Paula makes you pancakes....I'll make sure you get THAT molasses on them!!! :)

 

 

 

:lol::lol: Ok, maybe not. lol

[watsonius]

I work with a lot of weird and pretty ugly chemicals, so I appreciate the safety aspect. All that muriatic acid on that other thread is a bit spooky. We had someone in the lab who picked up a bottle of sulfuric acid (saturated with chromate) off the bench and the bottom of the bottle stuck to the bench- apparently it had a hairline crack in it. She was splattered with concentrated sulfuric. The boss/professor just happened to be in the office. He was a superb (and fast-thinking) chemist and he grabbed a 5 lb bottle of sodium bicarbonate and sprinkled it liberally all over our post-doc (and her bench), thus saving a trip to the emergency room. One word of advice to all- if you wear contacts, protect your eyes- it is much harder to get anything out of your eyes if you have contacts.

We are thinking hard about showing up at Canby- it would be great to meet some of you folks. Brian (aka Watsonius the Elder)

[mklotz70]

Ya...the muriatic acid is pretty nasty.....but it sure is fast. It's the easiest way to get the mill scale off the steel brake brackets when I get them from the laser cutter. A lot faster than grinding each plate. I stacked about 6 plates together with All-Thread and washers for spacers. Did 6 plates just as fast as one :)

 

That would be cool if you made it up for Canby :) I guess I'd better get back to working on Mend!! :)

[watsonius]

We promised stories about Mend, so here is one of the best.

 

Mend currently has a Weber carb, but it was not always so. The original Hitachi was the most problematic component of Mend, and therefore one with which we became quite familiar. Sometime about 1978, when we were driving back and forth from Seattle to Eugene a lot, it was alternately stalling out or flooding, and being hard to start. We parked it in my brother

[mklotz70]

:) Thanks for that Brian!!!

 

 

Did you ever notice a difference in power or gas mileage??

 

I'll be back to making progress on Mend again in the next couple of days....got sidetracked on those dang 411 brakes.

[watsonius]

It's been quite a while but I don't recall any difference in power. Certainly the mileage always hung around 28-32 mpg highway. It was pretty binary- either it ran perfectly or it didn't run at all.

[mklotz70]

Man, I thought I was going nuts!!!! I knew I took/posted pics of the heater valve fix! I spend about 1/2hr going back and forth over this thread trying to find them. I finally found them posted in somebody else's thread. So...I'll post them here to help keep the info complete. It's way out of sequence, but oh well :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a tiny scew keeping the valve in...be careful getting that out.

 

 

 

 

 

[mklotz70]

A minute or so with the glass beads and a couple of new nitrile o-rings and the vavle works good as new.

 

Bought the pressure tester last April at the big swap meet. Biggest challenge was getting my fittings to quit leaking. Found the culprit....soldered it. Did a pressure test at about 16lbs for 15 min afterwards and it didn't drop any pressure at all......so I called it fixed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Wharf Rat]

I just went through your thread, that is so cool how the power of attraction works! This nice couple found the right home for there much loved ol' truck. Your talent is A+ and I can tell you have your family values right where they belong Mike:)

 

PEACE WRAT

 

PS that color green was also known as "BIG BAD GREEN" way back when, cool man:D

[Icehouse]

Mike did you use any chemicals to clean out the inside of the core? Would dipping it vinegar work like a fuse box? I have a brand new NOS core in my L series 68 and it's amazing! The amount of heat it produces can drive you out of the car, or at least Holly :D I like it hot in there. If there was a way to unclog old cores it would be great! We tried running pressurized water through it but it helped but not a fix :(

[72240z]

I just want to chime in on the heater core question since I have exp with it.

 

Any acid will work to some extent, vinegar being the lower end of the spectrum. You can use household things like CLR, Lime Away or automotive things like prestone rad flush etc... All are acids, designed to attack corrosion and work just as well imo, just let them soak for a while. They will only do so much though.

 

If you want to use the hard core method, that I think most datsun owners would need since the cores are so old and corroded. Use sulfuric acid, I usually salvage it from batteries I recycle, its about 30% pure out of a bat and too strong to use imo so you have to dilute it a bit, down to at least 15-20%. You maythink like omg dangerous!! or something but anything is dangerous if your not careful. NOTHING works better at flushing 30+ years out of a heater core. Easy free way to get a new conditioned core, or rad etc... Don't use it on aluminum, rubber, wear goggles, thick gloves, keep a base handy just in case yada yada. Just you your head and be safe.

 

There is actually a drain cleaner that contains I think 5-10% sulfuric acid but you can only get it at a plumbing supply last I checked. Comes in a plastic jug in a plastic bag. Not as strong and wont work as well but if your not inclined to be drilling a hole in a battery to drain out the acid that's prob a better option for you lol.

 

My .002

Edited March 28, 2009 by 72240z

[slodat]

Or, just take it to a radiator shop. I use Mac's Radiator in Beaverton. They will boil out and repair as needed a heater core for about $40. Every one I've taken in has needed the inlet or outlet solder re-flowed. Then they work as new. Just did the one in my 620.

 

I've worked with sulfuric acid extensively in my career. Not something the untrained dude should be playing with. Especially when diluting with water. Do it wrong (do you add water to the concentrated acid or vise versa) and you'll have an explosion on your hands!

[72240z]

Or, just take it to a radiator shop. I use Mac's Radiator in Beaverton. They will boil out and repair as needed a heater core for about $40. Every one I've taken in has needed the inlet or outlet solder re-flowed. Then they work as new. Just did the one in my 620.

 

I've worked with sulfuric acid extensively in my career. Not something the untrained dude should be playing with. Especially when diluting with water. Do it wrong (do you add water to the concentrated acid or vise versa) and you'll have an explosion on your hands!

 

I won't even argue, who could. It's dangerous, I had a ex coworker with half a face because of an accident with it at a tv tube recycling plant. As I said though there are plenty of chemicals we all use on a regular basis that can SERIOUSLY harm us if not handled or used correctly. Tools too, ever see what a lift, welder hell even a battery etc can do to a person when an operator is negligent? Taking proper steps anyone can handle and use them to their advantage. A rad shop is a fine option, no doubt about it but I, and I know I'm not alone am the type of person who likes to do everything themselves. If I don't know then I learn.

 

Considering how exothermic sulfuric acid is, you would always add the concentrate to water, vice versa the water will boil. Either way is going to create a good deal of heat... As I said anyone who would consider using it should use their head.

[mklotz70]

Ice....I didn't use anything....I should probably check the flow. I've read some stuff about using the drain cleaner with Lye in it....you might google that.

 

As for the rest of the acid debate.....sounds like a great idea for a new thread

[watsonius]

Probably right about putting all this on a new thread. Anyway, the way it was explained to me by my chemist boss mentioned above is that when you add water to acid, the water heats up and forms pockets of steam in the acid which expand and blow acid all over everything. So always add acid very slowly to water while mixing/stirring gently.

[72240z]

My apologies Mike, make one suggestion and people forget the name of the thread.

 

Whats next on your agenda for this project? Plan on doing anything else to the core?

[mklotz70]

Wasn't trying to be rude.....seriously...that's really good info for another thread..nobody's going to find it here. That's the kind of stuff that guys really need to know.

 

Brian....any idea if muriatic acid will work....it's a lot easier to find!

 

 

My chem teacher explained that we had to pour the acid into the water because it's the receiving liquid that makes the splash drops. The reaction with the water makes sense too :)

Edited March 29, 2009 by mklotz70

[watsonius]

Actually now I wonder what the inside of the block looks like- if the core is corroded maybe a lot of that ended up in the block? So how do you deal with that?

And why not just throw the core into your vat of molasses? Watsonius

[mklotz70]

The molasses works with acetic acid....attacking the oxygen in the rust. I don't have any clue what the corrosion is in the core.....but I guess it's an oxide of the brass? Maybe I'll have to try one.

 

As for the block....the water is always moving in it. The heater gets shut off for entire seasons. I don't imagine the block is that bad if it had antifreeze in it.

[Hyphy]

Only if your pH balance went to shit with too much water and you start getting electrolosis. Saw this on a friends 86 supra when the head gasket was replaced. Tho its uncertain how long it was sitting and it what condition before he bought it. Thats about all youd get in the water jacket if there was always antifreeze in it.

[watsonius]

I was pretty good about keeping the antifreeze level high. Watsonius

[denveratsun]

Lookin good man! The heater box on mine has a stuck valve too. It is stuck in the "on" position though, which works alright for Colorado:D

 

I am sorta ashamed to say it, but I already had it all apart when I did the motor 2 years ago and should have fixed it then...I just soldered the leaking outlet pipe and cleaned everything. Even the paint looks great. IDK...I guess I should have just done it.:blink:

 

Got any recent pics of the whole truck???;)

[mklotz70]

Brian....the fluid looked really good when I checked it. I'm sure the block is just fine :)

 

No recent pics of the truck right now. I'm finally getting the shop back in shape, so hopefully soon :)